Feed-wire connection



(No Model) 'S. H. HARRINGTON & E. SOMERS.

FEED WIRE CONNECTION.

No. 583,903. Patented June 8,1897.

WfTNESSES INVENTOHJ" ATTORNEY 1m: Means versus 00.. PKo'ro-u'mc UNITED STATES PATENT @EEicE.

SAMUEL H. HARRINGTON, OF NElV YORK, N. Y., AND GEORGE E. SOMERS, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

FEED-WIRE. CONNECTION.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 583,903, dated June 8, 189'? Application filed April 8, 1897. $eria1 No. 631,311. No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, SAMUEL l-I. HARRING- TON, residing at New York city, New York, and Gnonon E. SoMnRs, residing at Bridge- 5 port, Connecticut, citizens of the United States, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Feed -W'ire Connections, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of feedwire connections used in underground trolleys to carry current from the feed-cables to the trolley-rails. It is intended to secure increased and permanent contact with both cable and rail.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I represents, partly in elevation, partly in vertical section, our device in position. Fig. II shows the same device in perspective and on a larger scale.

The same numerals refer to like parts in both views.

1 designates aconduit-truss; 2, a trolleyrail; 3, a feed wire or cable; 4, a connector, consisting of plug or ferrule 41, flattened wires 42, and hook portions 43; 5, a fastener consisting of loop 51, bar 52, and nuts 53.

In the example of our invention illustrated in the drawings the conduit-truss is of ordinary or desired form and is provided with 0 the necessary trolley-slot. Within the conduit are carried two rails 2, shown as E- shaped, the flat parallel faces of which are adapted to contact with the double trolley used in this mode of construction. Within the conduit are also carried the positive or outgoing and the negative or return feedwires 3, which may be and ordinarily are cables. These features are well known in the art and form no part of our invention.

Our device is a connector 4, consisting of a plug or ferrule 41, one or more flattened wires 42, the ends of which are reverted or hooked at 43 in connection with means for securing constant contact between the flattened 45 portions 41 and the feed wire or cable 3. As shown, the trolley-rail 2 is drilled diagonally to secure increased contact, the end 41 is a separate ferrule swaged on the wires of the connector, and a loose sleeve cut diagonally of its length is slipped on the ferrule 41. These features form the subject of pending applications and are not included in our present invention. To increase the contact-surface between the flattened ends 42 and the feed-cable 3, we preferably bend the ends spirally around the cable, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Any desired means, 6. 9., the C- shaped clip shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, may be used to firmly hold the ends 42 to the cable 3. e prefer, however, to use a fastener 5, consisting of a loop 51, the body of which is of sufficient length to embrace all the ends 41 of the connector, and the bent ends of which are threaded. A bar 52, the ends of which are pierced to pass the bent ends of the loop 51, is held to the loop by nuts 53. It is evident that in this way the ends 42 of the connector 4 may be drawn practically to encircle the cable 3 and held in full permanent contact therewith. 7o

WVe hold that many mechanical alterations may be made in our device without departing from our invention.

hat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. A connector for underground trolleys and the like consisting of a plug or ferrule adapted to be secured in a rail and a plurality of flattened wires adapted to engage with a feed wire or cable, substantially as de scribed.

2. A connector for underground trolleys and the like consisting of a plug or ferrule adapted to be secured in a rail and a plurality of flattened wires adapted to engage with a feed wire or cable in combination with means substantially as described for securing said wires to said feed wire or cable.

3. A connector for underground trolleys and the like consisting of a plug or ferrule adapted to be secured in a rail and a plurality of flattened wires adapted to spirally encircle a feed wire or cable in combination with means substantially as described for se- 9 5 curing said wires to said feed wire or cable.

4;. In a connector of the type described in ends and adapted to draw them uoward a combination, a plug or ferrule adapted to be median portion-0f said Wires.

secured to a rail, a'fiattened Wire0ne or 'SAMUEL H. HARRINGTON. I11OI6--b6nt to substantially encircle a feed GEORGE E. SOMERS. 5 Wire or cable, am hooked 01' reverted portion W'itnesses:

at the end of said Wire and means substan- GEO. L. COOPER,

'tially as described engaging with said hooked V EDWARD F. SANDERS. 

